


darkphan.exe

by Randomhowlter, yoonsnamu



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Evil, Angst, Angst and Feels, Content Warning: Blood, Dark, Feels, Gen, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 21:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11906256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Randomhowlter/pseuds/Randomhowlter, https://archiveofourown.org/users/yoonsnamu/pseuds/yoonsnamu
Summary: Dan finds himself alone in a strange place that appears to be a computer program.  Frightened and alone, without his best friend or any other support, what will he encounter?





	1. Dan's POV

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! This is an anti!phan-fic inspired by the Dark Dan and AblazingPhil characters from the Darkiplier vs. Antisepticeye video. We are aware that the video came out ages ago, but as you can imagine, we wanted this to be an amazing, hard-hitting fic, so we've spent a lot of time working very hard on it! We hope you guys enjoy!  
> Sincerely,  
> Mari and Reyna  
> ps: hi this is mari, i wrote chapter 1, just saying im sorry (not) for the meme i inserted definitely not on purpose (it was). hope you all like it!

Dan came into startling consciousness. His breathing was far too heavy for someone who hadn’t had any unpleasant dreams, his chest burning with each intake. His eyes were sore at first, trying to adjust to the darkness surrounding him and then there was nothing.

Perhaps it was the faint turning of engines that unsettled things, or the static underneath him, but Dan soon came to realise he was nowhere. This could be a nightmare for all he knew. A consequence of far too many hours editing videos that turned into a twisted reality in his sleep.

After a few minutes he managed to calm himself down. Maybe it really was just a nightmare that had become lucid and soon enough Phil would wake him.

“This is the worst possible time to be lucid dreaming, I swear to God.” he groaned. “It couldn’t have been last week, could it? That was nice. Phil and me, the beach, some sand getting stuck in really uncomfortable pl-”

An industrial light turned on with a clatter which resounded as others lit up, revealing a broad white room. Dan quickly assessed it, furrowing his brow as he took sight of a plaque hung on the ceiling before him.

Test Subject #329. Daniel James Howell

He started to move towards it before realising his wrists and ankles were bound to a steel chair. Okay, what the fuck? Was this about all the dystopian anime he had been watching? What the actual fuck did his subconscious mean with that? 

His skin actually hurt when he struggled against the metal and once again his breath came in short, hard puffs. This felt less and less like a dream. Weirdly enough, he saw things as if he was awake, not from an outsider’s perspective as dreams normally were. 

The thought alarmed him further and he strained his arms against the steel. His struggles proved to be helpless and Dan’s mind became frantic with panic. Blood ran down his arms before turning into pixelated red and disappearing into thousands of pieces.

“Oh my God” his voice quivered in fear and echoed flatly. He stared at his arms in utter disbelief. The sharp discomfort he had felt remained there, his wrists ached as if he had actually cut himself. 

“This isn’t happening.” he whined “This can’t be happening, I have to wake up. Please, let me wake up” Dan pleaded to no one.

His head started to pound and searing pain built behind his eyes as his vision blurred again. This time, there was no darkness, but graphs and coding written into his cornea, which looked strangely familiar.

He remembered seeing the same things when Marianne introduced him to the new Google glasses concept, developed for reality gaming. So maybe this wasn’t a dream. Or maybe he had read far too much about the subject, and this was the most terrifying lucid dreaming experience of his life.

Why the fuck would Google hire people stupid enough to make pain a thing in reality gaming anyway?

The thoughts kept racing in his head and he was on the verge of tears. This was all too much. 

As if on cue, a monitor materialised in front of him, letters appearing on it by themselves. His ties became pixelated and disappeared in similar fashion as his blood. Dan stood on shaky legs, being careful to watch his surroundings and paying a closer look to his legs and arms. He didn’t seem to have been harmed in any way, so he continued on standing, stretching. There was no more pain.

A robotic voice boomed through the place, catching him off guard.

_Begin Crash Bandicoot Reality Experiment. When ready, the volunteer must read the instructions. Be mindful to prepare your body, as your artificial state has realistic physical responses._

“Phil?! Marianne?” he shouted, apprehensively taking in all that was around him. Certainly they wouldn’t have him volunteer to this without his consent, would they? Maybe one of the side effects were temporary recent memory loss. That must be it. He was convinced this wasn’t a dream. 

He stared at the floating screen and started reading carefully. According to the introduction, he wasn’t supposed to feel pain or any physical sensation whatsoever, which contradicted the voice and his experience from earlier. Was there a glitch?

The launch theme from the N Sane Trilogy started playing and the bandicoot appeared in front of Dan. That was… Interesting?

He breathed deeply and willed himself to calm down. This could be fun. He liked Crash Bandicoot, hell, he and Phil had finished all three games in one sitting! Maybe Marianne really had signed him up and he was being a baby about the glitches while a bunch of programmers watched him. How nice. 

“Woah!” the bandicoot exclaimed, spinning in place.

“Oh. Hello there.” Dan gulped and waved. The bandicoot’s right hand mirrored him. So that’s how it worked... He would probably have to jump around, as well. All he needed, that good physical activity he never got for years.

The first platform appeared, floating a metre from the floor.

_Jump!_

Dan frowned and attempted to jump where he stood. The bandicoot mirrored his movements and his image flickered. 

He took a deep breath and ran towards the platform, willing his legs to move with strength he never would have outside of this virtual world. His breathing sped up and he gasped as he landed on what appeared to be cement.

His feet hurt a bit from the way he stood and he cursed whoever programmed that thing for not taking in consideration what the player would be wearing. If the thing would be realistic, why not get him some trainer shoes, for fuck sake?

He jogged until he reached a fruit and smiled a little when the bandicoot spun around. This really did seem fun.

Dan stood properly and stared ahead, hoping to see what was expected from the game, but instead being met by an endless path that turned as white as the rest of the room, nearly fusing with it.

Okay. That was also probably a glitch, but there was nothing he could do except to keep on walking. No one could hear him as far as he could tell, and he was most likely in his bed, unconscious, with a stupid Google headset on.

He sighed and went ahead. Maybe something else would appear.

Dan didn’t make a sound as he walked despite his footsteps usually being heavy. He couldn’t feel the cement’s roughness under his feet, but could definitely feel his hands shaky and cold. How come not one thing about this world seemed to interact with him?

_Beg-Begin_

The voice became distorted and dark, nearly unintelligible.

_Begin Emotional Response Experiment. Begin Emotional Response._

Dan frowned, looking around him. The bandicoot wasn’t beside him anymore, but the platform was still there. The cement still looked like cement. The atmosphere was dim, though. What the fuck was that about?

_Begin Emotional Response Experiment. Begin. Begin. Begin._

The voice glitched to the point where it was a shrill and Dan covered his ears. His heartbeat quickened again. Obviously there wasn’t any game that went by that name and emotional response didn't sound like anything fun. He was ready for all of that to end and to be disconnected at any point.

Honestly, fuck Sword Art Online and fuck every single other reality gaming concept. That shit was terrifying. 

Dan knew he was being overseen by at least a team of people working on the headset, so he would be out at any time now. He knew it. He was 100% goddamned sure.

_Begin. Begin. Begin. Begin. Begin._

“Marianne is fired. She is so fired. Jesus fucking Christ.” he muttered, eyes nearly watering from how overwhelmed he was. “GET ME OUT!”

The voice stopped and everything stilled. 

_Emotional Response acquired. Begin G.R.F.I.E._

His surroundings kept on becoming darker and Dan was stunned into silence. The panic he had managed to suppress before was back, blurring the edges of his vision. His knees gave out and he hit the ground, pain spreading through his legs.

“Why haven’t they gotten me back yet?” he whispered, his voice cracking.

The entire room was now pitch black, safe for a beam of light above him. He clenched his hands into fists to stop them from shaking any further. Fucking hell, why couldn’t he stop shaking? His limbs became anesthetized. He didn’t know how he was supposed to leave a place that was technically in his mind. Everything was fake and yet so incredibly horrible.

“Dan”

He gasped and looked up. Phil was in front of him, dressed in a plain blue shirt and dark blue jeans. His expression was blank and he stared at his best friend unblinkingly. Dan felt a jolt in his chest and nearly sobbed in relief. Maybe there was hope. Phil had come to get him.

“You have no idea how fucking glad I am to see you” he said, voice breaking. His face felt too warm and numb at the same time. 

“Dan. Help me.” Phil’s lips were pale all of sudden and he fell to his knees in front of Dan, clutching his stomach. Blood soaked through his clothes and dripped on his fingers, trailing to the floor. “Dan, please” he coughed and there was more blood.

It was a never-ending nightmare, Dan decided. Phil's complexion was strikingly paler than usual due to blood loss and the crimson stains spread through his clothing. His eyes were dull and unfocused, but gleaming with desperation.

“Oh God. What happened? Phil, tell me what happened!” Dan pushed both of his hands on top of Phil’s with as much pressure as he could manage. Maybe if he stopped the bleeding everything would be okay and he would get Phil out of there. The blood felt too warm. Phil’s breath felt too weak on his neck. 

“Was at the hospital… Was gonna get you back” Phil rasped. “Some guy decided to steal drugs. Took everyone hostage, I ended up shot, I think”

Dan's vision blurred again and he had to control his breathing before looking at Phil. That sounded so much like it was made up, but if anyone would have the luck of being shot while at a hospital, it would be him. At least he would have medical care as soon as possible.

“It's gonna be okay. You're at a hospital, I'm pretty sure there won't be a sudden shortage of doctors around” Dan laughed weakly and held his friend closer. They would be okay. It was all going to be okay.

Phil wheezed and a sob ripped through his lips.

“D-Dan… I don't think I'm-”

“No, you can shut the fuck up, yeah?! You're fine. You're gonna be fine.” Dan's voice cracked. He felt tears rolling down his face, becoming colder as they made their way through his cheeks and fell on his and Phil's hands.

Phil tried to laugh before grimacing at the pain. He dropped his head against Dan's shoulder and removed his hand from his wound to bring him closer.

“Just hold me” he whispered brokenly. 

Dan’s breath caught in his throat.

“Yeah. Of course. I won’t let you go, promise” he spoke softly.

Phil didn’t answer and remained still, his grip on Dan’s hand becoming weaker.

“Was it Marianne who agreed to sign us up to this?” Dan asked, his voice low so it wouldn’t disturb the other man.

Nothing happened. Phil didn’t stir or reply. His eyes were slightly open, fixated on Dan’s shoulder, his ice cold hands nearly dropping to his lap as they no longer had strength to hold on. Dan couldn’t feel his stomach rise with each breath anymore.

“No” Dan murmured. His voice shook with emotion as he delicately removed his hands from over Phil’s and cupped his cheek, raising his face. “P-please…”

Everything seemed to freeze around them.

Piercing pain made its way through Dan’s body, wrecking him in every shape possible. He felt and saw everything as if it were in slow motion, his hands growing numb, his lungs burning and all the agony filled sobs ripping through his throat. He started screaming and never stopped, the pain seeming endless.

Phil disappeared from his grip soon after that, but Dan could not recover. After finally steadying his aching lungs, he straightened and found himself facing...Phil. Again.


	2. Phil POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil appears in the program with only one goal: find his best friend and get him out.

Phil’s surroundings slowly formed around him. He blinked a few times, trying to shake the blurriness. His background never quite cleared up. I must be in the program. His priority was to find Dan. He had to find his best friend. “Dan?” he said, surprised at the whisper that escaped his lips. He had meant to yell, but he couldn’t bring himself to be anything more than cautious. He looked around. Blank was the only way to describe his surroundings. It wasn’t dark, but it was...empty. He felt like he was surrounded by nothingness. The air held an ambiguous grayness that seemed to shift between any form and no form. He hoped this wasn’t what death would be like. An eternity of this would not be anything to look forward to. He took a deep breath. “Dan!” he called again, this time louder.

He waited a moment, and after not seeing or hearing anything, he began to walk. He had no idea where he was going or what direction was up, but staying in one spot was clearly not helping him any.

After a while of endless uniformity, Phil stopped again. He needed to gather his wits, the silence was driving him insane. “Dan!” he yelled once more, allowing his lungs to swell with the name before forcefully expelling it out of his mouth. Nothing happened.

He sighed. He was starting to feel tired. Surely he couldn’t feel tired when he didn’t have a physical form? He was a computer code, for crying out loud. Was it just him or was everything beginning to darken? He couldn’t tell, his surroundings had been so ambiguous for so long. He yawned. Surely it wouldn’t make a difference if he laid down for a bit?

****************

Phil awoke with a start. Something was different. It was dark. He waved his hand in front of his face, but saw nothing. He blinked feverishly, trying to adjust to the darkness, but it remained thick and suffocating. He wasn’t sure if he was in the same spot he had fallen asleep in. “D-Dan?” he stuttered, unsure of himself. He waited, but nothing stirred. Had he gotten caught in some sort of virus? Had he been erased? What did that mean for his physical self? Was Dan in danger? His thoughts were racing faster than his heart, and he was having trouble swallowing. “I have to find Dan.” Phil hadn’t realized he’d muttered this aloud until he heard a single mirthless chuckle in response.

Phil whipped around, completely disoriented in the darkness, and shouted, “Who’s there? What have you done to Dan?”

“Oh, Philly, Dan’s dead.”

Phil froze. His blood felt as if every cell had turned into icicles, stabbing their way through his heart with every pump. “W-What?” He swallowed thickly, eyes stinging. He couldn’t breathe. “Liar,” he hissed in between his struggling gasps.

“Oh, you want to believe that, don’t you? That I’m lying? If you believe it, why do you feel like your heart’s been torn out?”

That voice. That voice was so familiar, but Phil couldn’t think straight. “You have no idea what I’m feeling!” he shouted.

“Oh, don’t I?” The darkness began to stir around Phil. He felt it rather than saw it. Somehow it began to form a shape in front of him. He wasn’t really sure how he could register the contrast against the background darkness, but he could make out the figure of a man. Maybe he was imagining things, but it looked like...Dan.

“Dan...is that you? This isn’t funny.”

“I’m not Dan...at least not the Dan you know. I was telling the truth. He is dead.” Phil felt his stomach twist. He was so confused, yet so afraid. Who was this Dan, then? Why was his Dan dead? Phil realized why his voice had sounded so familiar and yet...not. This Dan’s voice was distorted, sounding deep and raspy, as if a demon had possessed him. Phil had always been superstitious, but he wasn’t sure he believed in demons. Even if he did, could a demon exist in a computer program?

“You think too much,” the strange form laughed. Phil wondered if the being was in his thoughts.

“Of course I am, Philly. This darkness that surrounds you, you’re breathing it, thinking it, absorbing it. And I am the darkness.”

Phil thought carefully about his next steps. “Dan? What happened to you? What do you mean the Dan I know is dead?”

The figure chuckled mirthlessly again. That laugh made Phil sick. How could something carry so little emotion? “Why don’t I just show you?”

And Phil saw. He saw everything and he felt everything. He saw Dan, alone and afraid. He watched as Dan lived through his nightmare: Phil’s death. He heard Dan’s guttural, heart-wrenching scream. He felt the Dan’s heart break, felt it reverberating through his entire being, almost hearing the brittle crack of his Dan’s fragility. He watched Dan claw at his chest, gasping for breath, felt the hot tears streaming down his numb face. He watched as he finally breathed, and stood up again on shaky legs. Only for it all to happen again.

And again.

And again.

Until Dan was so broken, so shattered, he couldn’t breathe through the immense pain wracking his heart, mind, and soul. Phil felt Dan’s emptiness inside. It had been there all along, watching, waiting for Dan to give in to the numbness. Because nothingness was better than this. Better than this pain, than this loss piercing his soul. Phil watched as Dan gasped once more and let the darkness engulf him, fuse into him and turn him into...this. The monster that was across from Phil. He watched the monster cast the fragments of the old Dan aside: the emotions, the love, the pain; watched as the fragments lay in an empty pile of dust and glass.

Phil was brought back to the present, felt the tears cutting into his cheeks, but doing nothing to wipe them away. He couldn’t move. He simply stared at this...dark...version of Dan.

Dan had fully formed now. They were still surrounded by darkness, but Phil could see Dan clearly in front of him. His skin looked gray, and his eyes were entirely, utterly black. Dan cocked his head. “How are you feeling, Philly?” he asked.

Phil flinched at the nickname, and where he’d felt Dan’s pain fading into a scar, he began to feel something else: anger. “Don’t call me that,” he responded bluntly.

Dan straightened and blinked. Phil couldn’t read his black, empty eyes. Had he hurt him in saying that? They stared at each other for what felt like forever, before Dan spoke again, breaking the tense silence. “I had to watch you die, over and over and over again. I never knew why. I’d never felt such immense agony in my entire life. I didn’t know where you were, or if this was really you. I thought perhaps somehow you’d actually died, and I’d gone mad, and maybe I was trapped in my own mind replaying it. But once I let go of the pain, I could see everything so clearly. I knew where I was. I knew what was showing those torturous scenes, and I destroyed that part of the code. I thought, why stop there? This whole place has been containing me, destroying me for years, I might as well return the favor.”

Phil went rigid. “For years? Dan, you’ve only been in here two days.”

Dan seemed to pause, then shrugged, “I guess time works differently in here,” he sneered.

Phil was still angry. He was angry at Marianne for getting them into this mess. He was angry at himself for letting it happen. He was angry at this darkness standing before him that had possessed his best friend. He wasn’t just angry, he was enraged. He felt it burning hot within him, he wanted to hurt something, to destroy something. It wasn’t fair!

Dan gave him a twisted smile. “Embrace that anger, Phil. Let it grow. Use it. You can help me destroy this place that has caused us so much pain!”

Phil felt the tears start to sizzle and evaporate on his cheeks. He was growing hotter every second, he could barely control it. But then again, he didn’t want to. His hand burst into flames, and he stared at the blaze curiously. It didn’t hurt him, but he knew he could use it. He slowly met Dan’s black eyes. Dan’s smile was faltering now, as if he had sensed a change in the atmosphere.

Phil let out a slow laugh. “You’re right, Dan, I want to destroy something,” he flexed his fingers experimentally, before lighting his other hand as well, and allowing the flames to crawl up his arms, “But see the thing is, bear, that fire is light...and what better way to destroy darkness?” 

Phil lunged forward as Dan lunged back, trying to dodge his flaming limbs. Phil was too quick for him, however, and sank his nails deep into Dan’s chest. Dan howled in pain as the light from the fire began to melt him away. “Phil...please,” he whimpered. But Phil was engulfed in his anger, and to him, this wasn’t his Dan anyway. It was a monster who had used and consumed his best friend.

Phil hummed as he thought about the best way to finish him off, before smiling and placing a cruel, white-hot kiss on Dan’s lips. Dan’s black eyes widened before closing, as he faded out of existence.

Phil stepped back as the darkness drained around him, expecting his intense rage to fade, but it didn’t. If anything he felt it more. He wanted to burn everything. He grew, swallowing his blank surroundings, as he continued to envelop the space, until all that was left were the fragments of Dan, and...something shriveled and black beside them. Looking closer, Phil made out a burnt shell of himself. How fitting that they should end up beside each other. He flicked a few sparks over them, and watched the beautiful embers that sprang to life and escorted their remains somewhere better.

Phil began to wonder what else he could destroy, when everything suddenly went black.

Phil awoke in a hospital bed, slowly coming to consciousness and seeing Marianne fidgeting nervously beside his bed. He blinked, and looked around, sighing in relief at the sight of Dan in the bed beside him.

Marianne jumped, realizing he was awake. “Are you alright?” she asked immediately.

Phil’s head was throbbing, and he swore he could still feel tingles on his arms where the flames had been. Yes, he remembered everything. He sighed. “You realize you’re fired, don’t you?” he grumbled, closing his eyes and laying his head back.

“Yes, I figured as much, but I still wanted to make sure you guys were ok,” was her hushed response.

“Has Dan woken up yet?” ignoring her original question on his condition. He wasn’t sure he was ok. He didn’t think he’d ever fully recover from this.

“Yeah, he woke up a few minutes before you did, but he’s gone back to sleep,” she murmured, “I told him what had happened, and he’s already fired me, which I understand, but I apologized anyway. I owe you an apology as well, Phil, I’m so sorry all this happened, I wasn’t aware it would go that far, they told me it was harmless, that it would be like a video game simulation. I should have known better.” She shook her head, tears forming in her eyes.

Phil, as kind as he was, couldn’t bring himself to stay angry at her. He sighed. “I accept your apology, Marianne.” She looked up at him, surprised, then glanced over at Dan.

“Thank you,” she said simply, “I best leave you two, I doubt he’ll want to see me again when he wakes up, and you both need your rest.” She made to leave, and Phil didn’t stop her, simply watched her go.

Once she was safely out of the room, he sighed, lying back, glad to have his thoughts to himself once more. He was glad he hadn’t stayed angry at her, perhaps that was a sign that everything that happened in the program would stay in the program. He didn’t want any of that destructive rage he had had to come anywhere near his real life. He still wasn’t sure why he had woken up. Perhaps they had found a way to shut the program down? Perhaps he had simply eaten himself out of it? He wasn’t sure, and he didn’t really care. He just wanted to go home, steal some of Dan’s cereal, and snuggle up with him to watch an anime together.

“I can’t believe you forgave her.” Phil jumped at the voice, snapping his head up to look at the bed beside him. Dan was awake, and had been for a while, it seemed.

Phil shrugged, then grinned. “Were you pretending to be asleep?” he asked, in that high-pitched voice he took on when faking disdain.

Now it was Dan’s turn to shrug. “I didn’t want to deal with her,” he stated.

There was a pause, and Phil asked, “How are you feeling?”

Dan shrugged again. “As good as I can, I suppose. I don’t really remember anything, if I’m being honest, I’m just a bit tired.”

“You don’t remember anything?” That didn’t make sense. Why was Phil the only one to remember?

“No. Do you?” Dan asked curiously, peering into Phil’s eyes.

Phil quickly smiled reassuringly, “No, I don’t remember anything either.” Maybe they could resume their normal lives, and in time, he really could forget it all had happened.

Dan nodded, but seemed lost in thought. Phil noticed the sun had gone down, and the light was not on in the room. Remembering Dan’s fear of the dark, he asked, “Want me to turn the light on?”

Dan looked up, “No, I’m fine. Strange, I don’t feel scared. I almost feel at home.” Dan laughed at his joke, before rolling over, “Goodnight, Phil. Love you.”

Phil squeaked out a goodnight before rolling over away from Dan, stomach roiling. What if what had happened in the program had been more than just code? What if the darkness and the rage had somehow fused themselves to their consciousnesses?

As he fell into an uneasy sleep, Phil wondered if their lives would ever be the same again...or if their destructive alter egos would make another appearance in the real world?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed our dark slight AU. Let us know in the comments if you would like us to try to come up with a sequel! No promises to how long that will take if we write one, however, due to work and school. Still, we will start to work on one if you guys like, so be sure to let us know! Thanks for reading ❤️  
> Reyna and Mari


End file.
